FINS Fishing is thrilled to present a gripping tale from Captain Rich Doherty of Fish Responders Charters, a seasoned fisherman who trusts our products to conquer the competition. In his exciting recount of a redfish tournament in Florida's renowned Mosquito Lagoon, Captain Doherty not only shares the thrill of the chase but also illustrates the reliability and performance of our gear in crucial moments. For anyone passionate about fishing and looking for authentic, high-adrenaline fishing stories, this narrative offers a vivid snapshot of tournament fishing at its finest. In his guest post below, Captain Doherty takes us through strategic maneuvers, expert tackles, and the emotional highs and lows of competitive fishing.
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MOSQUITO ON THE LAGOON WITH FINS WINDTAMER – Guest Post by Captain Rich Doherty
So, my dream has come to fruition. As a team member of both Beavertail Skiff and FINS Braid, I find myself on plane, running across one of the most famous fisheries in Florida for redfish, Mosquito Lagoon. The sun rising while running on a flat slick lagoon, mirroring the image of mangroves and the cloud line, left a lasting impression.
My fishing partner Captain Rick Hillard of Weird Water Charter navigated our Mosquito Beavertail Skiff through the narrow passageways that only an experienced guide would know. This morning, we were fishing for our second tournament of the Florida Redfish Series. Game plan in hand, Rick navigated the shallows of the lagoon and ran us to our first fishing location.
I have memories of this iconic body of water from an episode of the Walkers Cay Chronicles featuring Mr. Flip Pallot , standing high on the poling platform pushing the legendary Mr. Lefty Krey, on the casting platform at the bow with fly rod in hand. I remember the episode like it was yesterday. I had finished my truck preparation at the Fire House and settled in on a snowy New England morning to watch and learn as these two navigated tropical waters, sight casting to redfish.
So now that I’ve set the backdrop, full speed ahead with the tournament.
The big thing with Mosquito Lagoon fishing is you are hunting fish visually. Poling the skiff is the method to stealth approaching these fish, and today, it's Captain Hillard atop the poling platform and me on the casting deck. Methodically moving through the area, you are constantly scanning for tails or weird water. Rick would bark out, “Point your rod.” That was my cue to point the rod at twelve o’clock, and Rick would adjust me right or left.
Once we both agreed on the fish location and direction, I would cast past the redfish and reel to the fish, dropping the bait in front of the fish in hopes of triggering a strike. This level of proficiency requires gear matched to the task.
Our equipment choices reflect what has worked best for our application. Captain Hillard was set up with a Cashion 7’6” medium/light with a Florida Fishing Products 1000 Osprey, spooled with 10lb FINS Infinity Braid. I’m throwing a Blackfin Carbon Elite Medium Fishing Rod with Florida Fishing Products 1000 Osprey reel, spooled up with 8lb FINS Windtamer Braid.
The reason for the light tackle, and the light 6-8lb FINS braid is to make long casts with finesse lures. Using a low tensile braided line for ultra-long casts made for tailing fish means you must put all your trust into the braid you choose. The entire success relies on the braided liner being able to make these necessary long casts while providing the needed high-tenacity strengths to withstand a thrashing, charging-mad redfish, I have found no comparison to the fiber quality and reliability I have seen with FINS braid while fishing the redfish tournament trail. FINS is made in Kentucky and remains one of the last truly American owned companies, making it that much better! Fighting big redfish on 6-12lb test line requires a quality line matched with an equal amount of skill! Does it get hairy when you hook into a 9 plus pounder in eight inches of water on 8lb FINS Windtamer? It sure does!
This brings me to a great story from the end of the tournament. Rick was poling the skiff across an inlet when he states, “There’s a large tail waving to us 100 yards off the bow. Wait ‘til I get you in position to make a cast.” This was a happy fish! Nose down, rooting for crabs, and exposing his tail out of the water, waving at us and giving his position away so that I could make a long cast without alerting him to our presence. Rick loudly let me know, “Time is running out. You’re only going to get a couple of casts before time runs out! We have one minute to get this fish!” At this time, the wind was coming over the mangroves and was picking up. The first cast missed its mark. “He’s still there!” Second cast, like the first, was off! I could feel my partner’s frustration burning in my back. The fish is now slowly on the move, so this cast had to count! I threw past the fish and slowly swam the bait into his path. He ate it! Once I set the hook, he took off, and it was on, the drag was screaming, and this fish had no intention of being landed anytime soon.
Rick was barking out the time “Forty five seconds!” “Horse him in, if he breaks off he breaks off!” As I cranked down on the drag (the number one thing you never do with light tensile line) I started horsing the fish towards Rick who had the net! Lifting the 9lb fish’s body nearly completely out of the water and into Rick’s net. Then, we frantically weighed the fish with only seconds to spare.
OH! ONE VERY IMPORTANT THING I LEFT OUT IS: THIS TOURNAMENT HAS A MIN. WEIGHT OF TWO POUNDS AND A MAX WEIGHT OF NINE POUNDS SLOT.
So the fish is being weighed by Rick and this look comes over his face!
“9lbs 1.4 oz - it’s too heavy by 1.4 oz!” The mood went from ‘we just won the lottery’ to ‘what just happened’! That’s tournament fishing!
The biggest thing we took away from our experience that day was the trust in our equipment and how exceptionally well it performed. I can’t say enough about the FINS Windtamer braid. It holds up better than any braided line I have tested and was able to bend open a well-known brand of jig head, as I was horsing this behemoth of a redfish into the net.
If you have not had the pleasure of using FINS Windtamer I suggest you visit a local tackle shop or go to FINSfishing.com and give it a try.
Captain Rich Doherty
Fish Responders Charters
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FINS Fishing wants to thank Captain Rich Doherty for sharing his experience from the redfish tournament at Mosquito Lagoon. His tale captures the essence of competitive redfishing, where skill, strategy, and superior equipment converge to create unforgettable fishing experiences. His story not only highlights what we all love about fishing, the adrenaline of the chase, and the precision of the catch, but also underscores the reliability and performance of FINS Windtamer braid. Whether you're a seasoned angler or a novice eager to test the waters, join us as we continue to explore and celebrate the spirit of sport fishing through the experiences of those who live it.